Method of impregnating materials with alpha liquid



Oct. 3, 1933. F. 1.. JEFFERIES METHOD OF IMPREGNATING MATERIALS WITH ALIQUID Filed April 22, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 m ,.,u A\\\\{\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\w\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ITufe 11W Oct. 3, 1933. F. 1... JEFFERIES I METHOD OF IMPREGNATINGMATERIALS WITH A LIQUID Filed April 22, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 3,1933. F. L. JEFFERIES METHOD OF IMPREGNATING MATERIALS WITH A LIQUIDFiled April 22, 1932 3 Sheets-Shet Patented Oct. 3, 1933 METHOD OFllvlPREGNATlNG MATERIALS WITH A LIQUID Frederick L. Jefleries, LaGrange, Ill'., assignor to International Patents Development Company,Wilmington, DeL, a corporation of Delaware.

Application April 22, 1932. Serial No. 606,898

1 Claim. (Cl. 127-71) This invention relates to the'impregnation with aliquid of material consisting of easily breakable crystals, lumps orpieces, for example to the perfuming of starch in crystal or lump form;and the primary objects of the invention are to provide a new andimproved method of eiiec tively and economically accomplishing thisresult without undue breakage or pulverization of the lumps, which areof a brittle, friable and crumbly character, and also without formationof any substantial amount of paste through the wetting of the starchdust which the product contains, or whichmay be-developed, to someextent, in the process of impregnation with the perfume. The inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show a novel andimproved apparatus suitable for carrying out the novel and improvedmethod of the invention. In the draw- 2 ings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of theapparatus. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection view thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view, on a larger scale than thepreceding figures. 2 Fig. 4 is a detailed view and side elevation,

with parts in section, of the atomizing device. Fig. 5 a cross sectionon line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 a' view in elevation of the apparatuslook- 3 ing from-the lower or discharge end of the drum;

and

Fig. '7 a view in elevation, with certain parts in section, of the otherend of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings: 10 designates a revolvable drum which is ofmaximum diameter at the middle and tapers toward its ends, whichterminate in cylindrical portions 11 and 12, a drum of this shape beingconveniently referred to as a double-cone drum. The drum is arrangedwith its axis inclined. The upper annular end portion 11 is providedwith a channelled bearing ring 13 for rollers 14, 14, journaled on asupporting member 15. Secured to the lower annular member 12 is abevelled gear 16, and surrounding and secured to the bevelled gear is .a

bearing member 17 for rollers 18, 18, 18, journaled on a support member19 on which is arranged a discharge spout 20 into which the annularportion 12 of the drum projects.

21 is a hopper carried on a framework 22, the hopper terminating in acurved spout 23 which projects into the annular member 11 on the upperend of the drum.

The drum is rotated by a motor 24 which drives a sprocket 25, throughthe inter-position of a speed-reducer 26, the sprocket being mounted on,quite friable and brittle, is reduced to a minia standard 27 anddriving a link belt 28 which extends around a sprocket 29 on asupporting member 30 in which is journaled the shaft 31 of the sprocketwheel 29 which shaft on its inner end carries a'bevelled gear 32 meshingwith the 0 bevelled gear 16 on the lower end of the drum.

The impregnating liquid is introduced into the drum preferably above thematerial 33 (Fig. 2) by an atomizing device constructed preferably asfollows: 34 is a-pipe which extends through a fitting 35 having a curvedplate 36 for attachment to the spout 23 of hopper 21', thespout beingformed with an opening for the pipe 34 at this place. Pipe 34 isprovided at its outer end with a T-fitting 37 for an air-pipe 38 whichmay be connected with an air compressor (not shown). The inner end ofpipe 34 is preferably bent down as indicated at 39 (Fig. 2). A-pluralityof small tubes, for example four such tubes designated 40, extendthrough the pipe 34 and terminate in curved nozzles 41 which project outof pipe 34. The pipe.34 is provided with air-nozzles 42 (Fig. 4)arranged to direct air over the bent ends of the nozzles 41. The otherends of the tubes are bent over at 43 and extend into a strainer 44arranged in a vessel 45. A bottle 46 containing the perfuming liquid isarranged in inverted position on a support 47, with its neck 48projecting into the vessel 45. It will be understood that the tubes 40and their nozzles are sealed into the air-pipe 34 which is open only atits nozzles 42. When air is forced into pipe 34 from pipe 38, the.liquid is drawn up through the tubes 40 and injected from their nozzles41 in atomized condition. The material is preferably fed through the'drum 10at such rate that the charging end of the drum is closed by thematerial so as to prevent the escape of the atomized perfume. The innersurface of the drum is highly polished, and the drum is revolved at sucha speed, for example at 24 revolutions per minute, that' there issubstantially no lateral displacement or tumbling of the starch crystalson themselves. That is,. the material flows through the drum in aribbon, the drum rotating under the material, so to speak, withoutturning it over on itself. In this way the breakage of the crystals orlumps, which are Inn mum. There is also very little pulverization of thelumps. The material as a mass is porous so that the volatile perfumingliquid readily .penetrates through all parts of. the material. Thiscomplete impregnation of the material is facilitated by the wipingaction of the drum on the no terial consisting of easily breakablecrystals or crystal-like pieces, such as starch lumps, which consists infeeding the material through a hollow drum having a smooth innersurface, injecting the liquid in an atomized state into the drum abovethe material and rotating the drum under the stream of material withoutsubstantial transverse displacement or tumbling of the material onitself.

FREDERICK L. JEFFERIES.

